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The Stewards of Democracy
The Stewards of Democracy are an organization in The Democratic Mandate, present at the founding meetings on Ias. Led by serfs and mostly focused on serf interests, their comfort with self-defense and history on Yakiyah mean they are seen as an extreme edge of what the broader movement will call its own. They keep themselves palatable with their willingness to compromise on their own goals, their work to support other groups, and their determination to defend the Democratic Mandate as a whole. Led by an elected organizer, Catius Branigan, the Stewards of Democracy operate out of the Beacon Spur Flotilla, a collection of retrofitted Yakiyahn ships procured during the fall of the Unified People's Collective. Usually operating as a shipping concern, legally moving people and cargo around the sector, the Flotilla doubles as a discreet security force. Outside the Flotilla, the Stewards organize through political outreach offices in or around other Democratic Mandate operations. Overview The Stewards of Democracy are a group within the greater Democratic Mandate that uses its political power to push for a Serf’s Right to Self Actualization. Within DeMand they do this by creating pro-serf proposals and pushing for discussion of serf’s place in society both within the Democratic Mandate and the Empire at large. Politics of the Stewards They are pro-empire and pro- Chain of Being, but they believe that Serfs should be part of the democratic process in some fashion. They push for better treatment of Serfs and more autonomy where it makes practical sense. The Stewards are made up almost entirely of serfs and the occasional forward thinking Noble who is willing to be organized by the non-noble Leadership. This makeup gives the Stewards several distinct advantages and disadvantages within DeMand. Having personally seen the end state of violent political revolution first hand on Yakiyah, The Stewards believe in expanding the Democratic Mandates principles through non-violent means. They will quickly put a stop to calls for radical uprising and are often the first line of defense in quelling such uprising through diplomacy. Being majority serf, it’s much easier to convince the local serfs that the Democratic Mandate has their best interests at heart. And that democratic representation is the true key to bettering their lives. The Stewards often utilize their popularity among the professionals and veterans of the population to increase the political power of sympathetic groups within the Democratic Mandate. Currently they are working to improve the condition and equity of serfs on Ias where they often support and help implement the policies and proposals of The Stargazers Coalition. The Stewards do everything they can to help the Nobles meet the conditions needed to gain extra seats in The Noble Forum. Hidden Agenda “Whispered between Serfs” “A watched pot never boils” - a popular saying within the Stewards, meaning that one should remain watchful for radical thoughts and keep them under control both in others and within themselves. In addition to their public political agenda and support for the pro-serf policies within the Democratic Mandate the Stewards of Democracy have a secret and more long term agenda. They believe that Serfs ultimately serve God’s creation and not the Nobility. They feel that Serf’s are the true stewards of the land. History has made the leadership skeptical of the Nobility’s commitment to the protection of The Almighty’s great works. Most serfs wish only to live peacefully and serve the will of the Creator by working the land and creating a better future for society as a whole. It is the meddling of the Nobility that leads to war and the destruction of God’s creations. The destruction of Gats by Triangulum and Crux is seen by many of the leadership as one of the greatest sins against The Almighty in history. And is further proof that the Nobility care little for the stewardship of what God has created for humanity. They believe that Serfs should be allowed to move about of their own free will to go where they are most needed. In secret the Stewards, while not pro-synth, are quietly sympathetic to the plight of synths. Many within the Stewards see synths as another group within the empire that has no choice but to comply with the demands of the Nobility. And though its leaders would deny it until the end of time the Beacon Spur Flotilla was instrumental in the evacuation of many members of the Synthetic Human Democratic Party during the fall of the UPC. Though they have sympathy for synths they won't put the Democratic Mandate at risk in order to help them. In the end they would help destroy a group of synths if it meant the protection of the Democratic Mandate. Of course the leadership understand these views would make a lot of nobles incredibly nervous. And so they keep these ideas to themselves and work toward slow incremental changes that might make these ideas more acceptable in the future. They see the current labor crisis as fertile ground for these ideas and are thinking of ways to get Serfs to where they are needed most. Functional Role within the Mandate “We shoulder the burden so the future may stand unbent.” - Motto of the Stewards As with most of the other democratic groups the Stewards of Democracy have a secondary function within the Democratic Mandate. In addition to their outreach and integration policies that help quell radical resistance and uprisings among the Serf and Freeman populations, The Stewards also serve as protectors of the The Democratic Mandate. The Stewards are fiercely loyal to the Democratic Mandate and will often put their own political agenda aside to defend it. The Stewards will apply as much political pressure as they can to see that their goals are reached. But ultimately they will always concede and make concessions if they think it will keep DeMand stable and prosperous. Though they believe in the non-violent philosophies of the Democratic Mandate they, as Serfs, know first hand that violence is the only language some people care to use. They try the best they can to keep within the bounds of non-violence but don't hesitate to act with aggressive defensive measures when they perceive a threat to the Democratic Mandate. This often creates an opening politically for others to get concessions and favors out of the Stewards, a burden they gladly bear to preserve the Democratic Mandate. Personnel & Equipment “This fight will be won with words not weapons, We only need to look to the UPC’s failure to see where violence and radical opposition gets you. We’re not interested in being crushed under the boot heels of upset Nobles, before the seed of democracy can bloom.” - Catius Branigan, Lead Organizer the Stewards of Democracy Due to its makeup the Stewards are, on paper, one of the least well funded groups in the Democratic Mandate; However because of their makeup they receive a great deal of support that isn’t counted in the Democratic Mandates financial statements. The Stewards have a wealth of information and political support from the general population as well as among sympathetic groups within the Mandate. Those that cant or wont openly support the Stewards often do so quietly. An extra Shipment of Iasian salt makes its way to a Steward warehouse, or a formal holiday is declared in an overworked district. These gifts are what keep the Stewards running and ultimately the Democratic Mandate protected. The majority of the Steward’s financial resources are spent on upkeep and upgrading of the Beacon Spur Flotilla. This cost is offset by the generous volunteering of time and equipment by the general population. This volunteer work comes from the greatest resource the Stewards have, the good will of the people, who see the Stewards working towards making their lives better. It’s this spirit of collaboration above all else that keeps the Stewards going when the beacon of Democracy is dim. This generosity and determination of the people is what drives the leaders of the Stewards to collaborate with more traditionalist groups toward building a better future. And it is the fortitude of the general population that reminds the leaders of what is at stake if the light of the Democratic Mandate is lost. Organization The Stewards of Democracy are currently 190 active members, this includes the crews of the Flotilla and all major political organizers. The Stewards enjoy robust support from both the professionals and veterans within DeMand as well as the trust of most of the Serf population. The Stewards have an Elected Leader that guides them, organizes the Political Outreach Offices, and interfaces with the other groups of the Democratic Mandate. The Stewards Elect this Leader through a council made up of the captains of each ship in the Beacon Spur Flotilla. These Captains are each assigned a political attache from each of the Steward’s Political Outreach Offices. The Political Outreach Offices make up the bulk of the Active Members of the Stewards and listen to the wants and needs of the general population. The Members of the Political Outreach Offices have a lot of autonomy and often work within the local governmental structures to fulfill the needs of the general population. They can and do escalate particular needs or problems to the captains when needed. In the event of an emergency the Captains of the Flotilla can override decisions made by the political outreach offices. In order to keep things from becoming an emergency the Captains often work closely with political outreach offices in their area. And it is not uncommon to see Flotilla ships running cargo, personnel or providing crew support to Outreach Offices in their area. The Beacon Spur Flotilla One of the most defining features of the Stewards of Democracy is the small fleet of ships they use for the betterment and defense of the Democratic Mandate. The crews and captains of the flotilla had been working together on Yakiyah to try and convince others that non-violence was the way to build a lasting democratic movement. When it became evident that their views were in the minority they did what they could to collect like minded individuals and search elsewhere for a mandate that matched their ideals. The crews and captains, after electing Catius as their leader, felt the group of ships that had banded together in ideology needed a name. After some thought and discussion Catius settled on The Beacon Spur, naming the flotilla after an artificially created stretch of green belt on the dark side of Diomikato. He called it this both to honor the world and life he’d left behind, but also as a reminder that even in the harshest conditions a beacon of hope can endure. The Beacon Spur currently consists of six retrofitted Yakiyan ships of various hull types. The Flotilla’s primary job is supporting DeMand movements and operations on a local scale. The ships of the Flotilla are often seen moving cargo or personnel from place to place, as well as supporting the Outreach Offices of the Stewards. Mutual aid is also offered to other groups within the Democratic Mandate as requested. The Flotilla is mostly outfitted for hauling and movement purposes but a couple ships are used for more specialized missions. In addition to peaceful support missions the Flotilla can and has defended itself from attack. Flotilla Ships The Juicebox Baby - a retrofitted Yakiyan Patrol Boat used as the HQ of the Stewards The Dear Prudence - a Yakiyan Shuttle used for cargo and industrial operations The Happy House - an upgraded Yakiyan Shuttle used for recon and surveillance The Love Will Tear Us Apart - a Yakiyan Free Merchant retrofitted as a medical ship The Banned in D.C. - a retrofitted Yakiyan Strike Fighter used for moving VIPs The Right Brigade - a Yakiyan Strike Fighter used for scout and patrol operations The Steele Horse - a retrofitted Iasian free merchant used for research and science operations SoD Detachments As the Democratic Mandate expands the Stewards send forward personnel to planets where a USEPT campus will be established. The Stewards often send people from within their ranks that cause friction with the leadership of the Democratic Mandate but are well suited for integrating into the culture of where they are going. A Stewards detachment always consists of at least one captain and one head advocate, as well as one ship to serve as a support vessel. The detachments main objective is to integrate into the local community and provide support to other Democratic Mandate assets in the area such as; USEPT campuses, DeMand Public Access, Bardigiano members and others. The Penitent Vanguard In support of the Democratic Mandates' work on Cabina The Stewards dispatched one of their best Advocates to the city of Lux Gravare. As a show of their working relationship, The Penitent Vanguard was loaned to the Stewards by AIDSERFS. The Stewards operate a political outreach office in the southern district near their favorite cat Café Ishaans. From here the Stewards support the operations of The USEPT Cabinan Campus by procuring historical items through less official channels. The Dont Write in Starlight Dispatched to help aid The Yamauchi-Mandate Compound of Learning in Hong Lu City The Dont Write in Starlight set up their political outreach center in the Little Kowloon to be closer to the serf population in sector 15 of Hong Lu City. The Stewards also help the local PRISM Public Radio affiliate station HRSE on the planet. The Dont Dance in Darkness The Stewards dispatched the Dont Dance in Darkness along with the Stewards members with the most liberal definition of self-defense to Aomori hoping that Reticulum discipline would rub off on them. The detachment supports The USEPT Kannushi Reticulum Talaivi Amaterasu Campus History 3200 - The Stewards started out on Yakiyah during The Fall of the UPC. Though back then it didn't really have a name. It was just a group of like-minded individuals who wanted the Yakiahn Mandate to work, but were displeased with the violent and chaotic uprising of the UPC. Late 3200 - after “procuring” several ships and helping to evacuate as many people as they could the founders of what was to become the Stewards of Democracy left the Tsatsos System during the final death throes of the UPC. End of 3200 - Hearing rumors of a new movement inspired by what happened on Yakiyah The flotilla started its journey towards Ias out on the frontier of the Empire. 3201 - The Flotilla arrives at Ias and makes contact with what is to become the Democratic Mandate. The Captains in a fit of democracy elect Catius as their leader and He names the newly created group the Stewards of Democracy. The Stewards spend the first several weeks helping the other parties prepare for the formal declaration of the Democratic Mandate. The Stewards do their part integrate and organize the local serfs of Ias. Extra Info The Stewards have a mixed reputation within the Democratic Mandate, Some Nobles actively oppose the idea of Serfs taking such an active role within DeMand even as they agree that serfs do deserve inclusion in the democratic process in some fashion. Others see them as an obvious sign that The Democratic Mandate is headed in the right direction. Even if the other groups can't completely agree on how to view the policy ideas of the Stewards, None question their loyalty and devotion to the Democratic Mandate. Making a Steward NPC The Stewards of Democracy are a non-voting member of The Forum of the Democratic Mandate. They are all serfs who have gained a level of autonomy not generally afforded their station. They can come from any culture and retain some of that influence. They are either crews of small ships or part of the political outreach advocacy. Core Values A Steward will always choose order over chaos A Steward will always uphold the Charter A Steward will actively suppress violent rebellions A Steward will quietly press for non-violent change A Steward is skeptical of a nobles total authority A Steward will fight to protect democracy A Steward will always play the long game A Steward is well versed in politics Choose a Role Ships Crew Stewards often use small ships as mobile bases and support vehicles. These ships and their crews hold a special significance with the SoD. Ships and crews are often bound to a planet as part of a SoD detachment. Ships Crew often know a place to get free or discounted repairs and fuel Possible Roles: Captain, Pilot, Engineer, Deckhand, Technician, Cook Political Outreach Advocates Stewards maintain Political outreach offices wherever there is a Democratic Mandate presence. These can be as simple as a room on a SoD ship to an office suite in one of the DeMand towers on Ias. Advocates spread the word of the Democratic Mandate and work to help serfs get their needs met. Advocates have a deep understanding of the politics of where they are stationed. Possible Roles: Head Advocate, Advocate, Lawyer, Clerk, Organizer Tables __NOEDITSECTION__ Category:Democratic Mandate Category:Organizations Category:Stewards of Democracy